PROTECTION
Tequila is, nowadays, one of the most recognized and protected spirits drinks. This has been achieved thanks to the years of hard work by the organized Tequila agro-industry that gave life to the Regulatory Council (CRT). After 23 years, in 2019, Tequila was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) by the European Union.
Why is this important? Europe is the second most important market for the tequila agro-industry, with 500 million consumers. Thus, this recognition assures the importation of an average of around 19 million Tequila liters per year.
In 2019, around 20 millions Tequila liters were exported to the EU, being Germany, Spain, and France the top three countries.
And what exactly is the GI?
The GI protects the name of a spirit drink or aromatised wine originating in a country, region or locality where the product’s particular quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
Some of its benefits are:
- Right to exclusive use. No one can use the Geographical Indication TEQUILA (or a similar one that can confuse) without the CRT’s authorization.
Legal action. Being able to exercise a right to any legal action against anyone that is imitating or using Tequila (product or word) without the CRT’s authorization.
- Distinctiveness security. The European authority carried out an in-depth study in which the geographic indication TEQUILA was studied and resulted in it being sufficiently distinctive from others already registered.
- Security for the consumer. The consumers can count on precise and true information regarding the geographic origin of the product, and its qualities and characteristics from the specific origin.
- International level advantages. It is positioned on the market, differentiated from others, and maintaining its peculiarities while adding value to the liquid.
ORIGIN
Tequila now is part of oriGIn, an NGO that campaigns for effective legal protection and the observance of the Geographical Indications (GI) at a national, regional, and international level. Also, it promotes the IGs as tools for the sustainable development of producers and communities.